The Muncaster Podcast

In this episode of The Muncaster Podcast, we sit down in the Stable Yard for a chat with Arts and Events Coordinator, Joshua Payne. We hear about how Josh came to settle at Muncaster after living the nomadic life of a touring musician, from first coming here as part of the Halloween productions, to working in The Weapons Hall, to now carving out his own role as Arts and Events Coordinator.

We discuss Muncaster’s growing events programme, with a particular focus on the many musical events held throughout the year. We discuss the monthly Open Mic Night and how this has helped Josh get to know and love the community here in West Cumbria as well as the upcoming Muncaster Fringe which has community at the centre of all the events being held. We debrief the recent Folk by the Castle festival and look ahead to the upcoming Country by the Castle Festival. And, arguably most importantly, we delve into one of Josh’s favourite subjects, the magic of moss.

For more information about the events coming up here at Muncaster head to: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/whatson

For more on our monthly Open Mic Night click here.

For more on Country by the Castle click here.

For more on The Muncaster Fringe click here.

This episode is a crossover between a Muncaster Talks episode and a team profile, as we chat with Muncaster’s very own Michael Redmond. Visitors to Muncaster may recognise Michael from the ticket offices or the castle, but they may not know that he is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Birmingham.

Michael sat down with us to delve into the talk he gave here at Muncaster about a topic close to his heart. While present day media frenzy may suggest that questioning or breaking traditional boundaries and conventions surrounding gender expression is a modern phenomenon, the examples highlighted by Michael prove anything this is far from the case. We discuss a plethora of historical figures who broke the mould, including one with a connection to Muncaster, as well as the notion that what is considered the ‘mould’ itself has changed and shifted over time.

It was a fascinating conversation and a brilliant showcase of some of the homegrown talent here at Muncaster.

We have plenty more Muncaster talks coming up, click here to find out more.

Today’s episode is a team profile of one of Team Muncaster’s longest serving members - castle guide, Paula Clark. Paula has been working at Muncaster for nearly 20 years and has gotten to know 3 generations of Penningtons, Ewan, his parents Peter and Iona, and his grandparents Patrick and Phyllida, who many visitors will remember well.

Paula shares some of her favourite memories of Muncaster as well as some of her favourite tales from Muncaster’s history. Anyone who has spoken to Paula in the castle will know what a great stroyteller she is so this episode is a good one!

Want to know more about Muncaster’s history? Come and visit us, for more info click here.

In this episode we sit down with another speaker from our Muncaster Talks series, geologist Ian Jackson, for a fascinating conversation about how the landscape shaped, and continues to shape, the lives of those living in Northern England. We discuss Ian’s book Defined by Stones as he tells us about some extraordinary rocky places which tell the story of how the area we live in was formed and what these places reveal about the lives and beliefs of our ancestors. As well as discussing how these fascinating rocks continue to impact how we live our lives today, connecting us to those who came before us much more deeply than we may expect.

And keep your ears peeled for a surprise wildlife guest who joined us in the library for the recording, yet more proof that at Muncaster you need to expect the unexpected.

If you enjoyed this episode, or want to find out more about the upcoming talks here at Muncaster, click here for more information and to book tickets.

In this episode we had the immense privilege of sitting down for a conversation with astronaut Dr Michael Barratt, who was here at Muncaster leading World Extreme Medicine’s Space Medicine Course.

Mike has spent 447 days in space spanning 3 different missions, and completing 3 space walks. Most recently in 2024 when he piloted the SpaceX Crew-8 mission and spent 8 months aboard the International Space Station serving as a flight engineer for Expeditions 70, 71, and 72.

Mike began his career as a medical doctor before specialising in the field of aerospace medicine. This brought him into the world of space flight, although initially he had no intention of participating himself. We discuss his journey into becoming an astronaut, hear first-hand what it is like to be in space looking down at Earth, and delve into his specialism: space medicine.

Mike shares some of the unexpected physiological strains micro-gravity can have on the human body as well as the applications that space medicine can have here on Earth. Before finally touching on the fact that he didn’t even begin to train as an astronaut until he was 40, and at 67 he is more excited than ever about what the future, including that of space travel, holds.

This was truly a once in a lifetime conversation so I hope you enjoy hearing Mike’s insight, humour and enthusiasm, it really was contagious!

Mike joined us at Muncaster as part of World Extreme Medicine’s Space Medicine Course, see more from World Extreme Medicine here.

World Extreme Medicine will be returning to Muncaster from 28 September to 2 October for their Prolonged Field Care Course, find out more and even book your place here.

In this episode we sit down to talk to adventurer, explorer, and founding CEO of World Extreme Medicine (WEM), Mark Hannaford. We discuss Mark’s fascinating life of adventure, prior to founding WEM, including spending his 21st birthday rowing along the coast of Chilean Patagonia, working as a mountain guide in North Africa, riding the Mauritania Iron Ore train through the Sahara Desert, and spending the night exploring the Catacombs of Paris.

We then discuss how Mark’s expedition experience led him to start World Extreme Medicine. We delve into the work done by this incredible organisation in places like Syria and Ukraine, as well as its links with Cumbria and Muncaster in particular, before turning to what brings Mark to Muncaster on this occasion, Space Medicine, as Muncaster played host to WEM’s recent Space Medicine Course.

Mark is an amazing speaker with incredible insight into such a huge variety of topics so this episode is definitely one not to miss.

Find out more about World Extreme Medicine here.

WEM will return to Muncaster for their Ukraine Lessons Learned Prolonged Field Care Course, learn more and book your place here.

Mark’s LinkedIn.

This episode is another from our Muncaster Talks series. We sit down in the library of Muncaster Castle for a conversation with freelance heritage practioner, Becks Skinner, surrounding her talk on the ‘New Mrs Davidson’.

Inspired by a Wedding Dress from 1911, within The Beacon Museum Collection, Becks Skinner set herself the challenge of making a ‘going away’ outfit from the period, using her 1905 Frister and Rossman Sewing Machine and learning historical hand sewing techniques. We explore the research behind the project, the experience of sewing using a machine that is over a century old, and what the project revealed about life all those years ago.

If you enjoyed this episode, or want to find out more about the upcoming talks here at Muncaster, head to: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/muncastertalks for more information and to book tickets.

Find more from Becks here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558846200107#

This week’s episode is an exciting one, as it is our first Muncaster Team Profile. In this series we sit down with different members of the Muncaster Team to get to know them, their role here at Muncaster, and what makes Muncaster so special to them. If you want to know more about what goes on behind the scenes and more about the team the that makes it all happen then look no further!

In this episode we sit down with Luke Woods, our Operations Manager. Luke tells the story of how he first came to Muncaster as part of the Medieval Muncaster Festival, which has unsurprisingly gone on to be his favourite event in the calendar. He tells us about some of the day to day challenges of overseeing operations somewhere where no two days are the same, as well as the fantastic opportunity that is having a say in the future trajectory of a place with so much history.

The Medieval Muncaster festival takes place every May, for more info click here: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/medievalmuncaster

For info about Muncaster click here: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/

This episode is from our monthly Muncaster Talks series, but is a little different from usual. Recorded on April Fool’s Day, at the home of Tomfoolery itself, Muncaster Castle, we chat with storyteller and performer Ian Douglas. 

Ian is a storyteller with decades of experience. We discuss his fascinating life and path into storytelling as a profession, and how storytelling continues to endure despite the changes and challenges of the modern age. Then Ian shares a story with us so sit back, relax, and enjoy.

If you enjoyed this episode, or want to find out more about the upcoming talks here at Muncaster, head to: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/muncastertalks for more information and to book tickets.

And if you want to hear more from Ian, head to his website: http://www.iandouglas-storyteller.co.uk/

And if you want to hear more from Ian, head to his website: http://www.iandouglas-storyteller.co.uk/

This episode of the Muncaster Podcast comes from our Talks series. We sat down in the castle’s library with our speaker from January, Nigel Entwistle, to discuss the life, work, and legacy of George Moore.

It was fascinating to hear from Nigel about how Moore came from humble beginnings and went on to achieve huge success, all while maintaining a strong moral compass and a commitment to helping others - Moore truly is one of Cumbria’s unsung heroes. 

If you enjoy this episode, or want to find out more about upcoming talks which we host every month at Muncaster you can follow this link for more info: Muncaster Talks - Expert Speakers, Captivating Stories